Conventional devices of the type mentioned above strap or lock the flying body to the starting rail by means of a wedge. Strapping or locking devices employing a wedge are subject to the disadvantage that in response to dynamical loads the wedge may become seized or jammed so that it is very difficult to release the wedge again. The wedge forces of a seized wedge actually hinder the launching of the flying body and it takes substantial forces to overcome these wedging forces. In devices that perform a locking operation directly from above the forces required for such operations and the forces for releasing the strapping or locking must be very substantial.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,151 (Griffin et al.) illustrates a missile launcher of the type mentioned above. Spring loaded so-called snubbers (29 and 30) o the body of the launcher engage hooks (25, 26) of the flying body. Each snubber (29, 30) has a cam-shape which is wedged against the respective hook by the force of its spring. It is this wedging action that is objectionable because it tends to seize or jam the snubber, especially when the structure is subject to dynamic loads. As a result, it is frequently difficult to release the seized or jammed snubbers. Making the spring forces smaller in an effort to reduce the likelihood of jamming is unsatisfactory because there would be no assurance that the missile is safely held in place until launching, since there may not be a sufficient retaining force. The known launcher also has a separate rail lock (21, 22) which is independent of the snubbers and requires for its locking and unlocking an operation separate from the operation of the snubbers. The ignition mechanism is also independent and requires its own individual operation.